BAE Systems showcases future technology at college

Dubai, April 10, 2011

BAE Systems recently showcased some innovative concepts and future technology to students in the UAE.

A vehicle which can ‘sweat’ to improve stealth, an agile robot that can take over dangerous jobs and video surveillance technology to spot potential troublemakers in a crowd, were just three of the many ideas presented to students at the Dubai Men’s College (Higher Colleges of Technology) by BAE Systems.

The Future Protected Vehicle programme, conducted by a BAE Systems led team, highlighted new technologies and concepts which can be used to boost the effectiveness of lightweight armoured vehicles.

The concepts and ideas resulting from the study were presented to HCT students by Hisham Awad, programme manager for Emerging Technologies at BAE Systems.

BAE Systems accessed a broad range of expertise during the Future Protected Vehicle study encompassing academic institutions, small and medium enterprise and dedicated research organisations. A total of 567 technologies and 244 vehicle concepts were investigated following engagement with 35 organisations.

From these the team developed seven concept vehicles, each highlighting technologies which could support that particular specialisation. No fewer than 47 of the technologies were highlighted as being suitable for immediate exploitation, a statement said.

Ben Bridge, vice president – Middle East, said: “BAE Systems approach during the Future Protected Vehicle study was highly inclusive and challenged traditional methods by involving domain experts and free thinkers. For the study, we engaged a number of ‘experts’ ranging from renowned academics and researchers to primary school students, who were invited to participate in design classes to stimulate interest in engineering as a career.

“Through showcasing the results of the study to students at the HCT we hope to inspire young Emiratis to think creatively and demonstrate first-hand the transformative power of a single idea,” said Bridge.

Following the presentation, Mark Hale, associate dean – Centre of Excellence for Engineering at Dubai Men’s College, said: “Our students at Dubai Men’s College (DMC) always look forward to the excellent presentations given by BAE Systems. This was a great opportunity to learn about a cutting edge technology from a pioneering organisation.

“We at the Centre of Excellence for Engineering (CoEE) strive to develop relationships with innovative companies to ensure that a relevant learning experience is provided to our students. BAE Systems certainly meet this aspiration and we look forward to their next talk at the CoEE.” - TradeArabia News Service